Fifth-wheel for vehicles.



W. 0. SHADBOL'I.

FIFTH WHEEL FOR VEHICLES.

APPLlcATIoN FILED FE-B. 1o, 191s.

1,21 3,280 I Patented Jan. 23, 1917.

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4 e I I I' 'IHWI 48 ;'wm r 32 V; (B I v s I l 38 39 37 -37 39 3B 3)-'UWM el 48 nl 4B 34 ungi J [Muni-i315" 34 UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEIoE.

WILLIAM OSCAR SIIADBOLT, F BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

EIETE-WHEEL Eon` vEHIoLEs.A i

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, `.WILLIAM OSCAR SHADBOLT,a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the borough ofBrooklyn, in the city and State of New York, have invented certain newand useful Improve.

ments in Fifth-Wheels for Vehicles, of

which the following is a specilication.

-annular members 30v and 31.

The invention relates to fifth wheels, such as are employed forpivotally connecting the front axles of vehicles to the reach o1 'to thebody of the vehicle, and which may also be employed for the purpose ofproviding a pivotal connection between a tractor and a truck body; andhas for its object to prol vide such a fth wheel which shall obviatecertain of the disadvantages of such devices previously known and whichshall possess certain advantages over prior devices, as'

hereinafter explained.

The invention consists in the novel con# struction, arrangement andcombination of various devices, elements -and parts, as shown in theaccompanying drawings, and hereinafter more particularly described.

In the said drawings, Figure 1 isa plan view of my invention; and Fig. 2is a side elevation thereof.

In carrying my invention into effect in the embodiment thereof which Ihave selected for illustration in the accompanyingv drawings anddescription in this speciflcation, I provide a fifth wheel comprisingtwo The upper member 31 is provided with a diametrically extendingmember 32, the middle part of which is split so as to assume an annularform and the ends of which project beyond the periphery of the annularmember 31 and are journaled in sockets 33 in cross bars 34 which extendacross between longitudinal beams 35 secured to the underside of a truckbody or the like. The projecting porj tions of the member 32are free tomove lon- 45 gitudinally to a certain extent in said sockets. Fast onsaid projecting portions;y adjacent to the periphery of the annularmember 31, are annular shoulders 37, and loose on said projectingmembers, inside the crossbars 34 are washers 38. Between the shoulders37 and the washers 38 I interpose helical springs 39. The lower annularmember 30 is provided with a diametrically extending member/40, theprojecting ends of which are journaled in sockets 41 in beams 42 on theframe of the tractor.

Specification of Letters Patent.

PatentednJ an. 2 3, 1917.

Application led February 10, 1916. Serial N o. 77,479.

`surface ofthe annular portion of theA member .32, which opening isadaptedto receive a pin or bolt which serves to prevent the separationof the two annular members under strain. Y

I vprovide semil-ellipticalsprings 46, the middle portions of which arebolted to the member 31l at 45, and the extremitiesV of which are freeto slide in bearings 47 in plates 48 extending across'between the lonfgitudinal beams 35. It Willbe seen that the -'springs 46 serve ltoprevent undue swaying of the truck from side to side, the ends slidingin the bearings 47-as the spring is fiattened out or allowed to assumeits normal form, and as the truck lbody and plates 47 slide forward orback: with relation to the fifth wheelme'mber 31 and its said attachedsprings 46. v

I do not limit myself to the exact form described. It is obvious thatvit is possible to employ the springs 46 on a fifth wheel of a typehaving the shock-absorbing springs analogous to the springs 39, locatedbelow thev fifth wheel members; and that various other changes might bemade, without de.

parting from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Let ters Patent-is as follows:

- 1. A fifth wheel comprising an upper Amember provided with lateralprojections and j ournaled under the fra-me of a vehicle, a lower membersecured to devices below the vehicle, means adapted to pivotally connectthe said members together, and a spring acting between said iirst namedmember and the under side of said vehicle; said spring always remainingin a line parallel with the longitudinal axis of said vehicle.

2. A fifth wheel comprising an upper member provided with lateralprojections and journaled under the frame of a vehicle,

' a lower member secured to devices below the y and having ends adaptedto slidein said bearing portions.

8. A fifth vvwheel comprising an upper member provided with lateralprojections and journaled under the frame. of a vehicle,

a lower member secured to' devices below the vehicle, means adapted toplvotally connect the members together, a bearing porV tion located onthe under side of said vehicle, and a spring having a portion secured tosaid first named member, and having a portion adapted to slide vin lsaidbearing' portion.

fl/A -ifth Wheel comprising an upper member provided with lateralprojections and journaled under the frame of a vehicle,

a lower member secured to devices below the vehicle, means adaptedtopivotally connect the 'said members together, and a spring actingbetween said first named member and the yunder side of vsaid vehicle;said fifth Wheel and spring being adelritedy to slide longitudinallywithA relation .to said vehicle. Y f

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name this 7th day ofFebruary, 1916.

. WILLIAM OSCAR. sHADBoLT.

